We've ranked our favorite educational messy science experiments by messiness!
Every year, Orlando Science Center staff celebrates "Mess Month" which features some of gooiest, slimiest, messiest activities on a giant scale. Think foam-splosion, pendulum painting, pools of slime... you get the picture. We love our mess-tivities so much that we wanted to make sure you could enjoy educational messy science experiments all year long, so we adapted some of our favorites projects so you could try them at home!
From the ultimate slime time to some good clean fun will minimal clean-up,find them all in one place below! Be sure to use the Mess-O-Meter rating to find a mess-tivity fit for you! If you take any photos, don't forget to share them with us on social media by tagging Orlando Science Center and using #OSCatHome or you can submit them directly through our Science Showcase.
1. Ooey-GooeyOobleck
Mess-O-Meter Level: Very Messy
Make a big mess with just two ingredients! Learn about the states of matter and viscosity, practice lab skills like measuring and mixing with this educational messy science experiment that's so fun, you won't even realize you're learning!
The mess never bothered us anyway! Step up your driveway art with the coolest sidewalk chalk around! Just be sure to wash away your artwork when you're finished to avoid stains.
Watch water defy gravity before your very eyes! This colorful experiment will help teach little learners about capillary action with a beautiful visual aid! And the best part is, it's all contained in a cup so cleanup is a breeze.
Looking for some good clean fun? This experiment is maximum fun with minimal cleanup! Just make sure you're doing your demonstration outdoors. Let's learn how you can freeze time with water and a balloon!
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In these ever-changing times, it is our pleasure to adapt quality Orlando Science Center experiences to engage with everyone while they are safe at home. Please consider supporting our operating fund to ensure we can continue developing resources today and well into the future. Thank you for your generosity and support!
Turn your kitchen into a chemistry lab by making your own DIY pH Indicators!
pHis a measurement of how acidic or basic something is on a scale of 0-14.
Testing how acidic or basic something is with a color-changing indicator is a staple of many chemistry experiments. Now you can try it too! Turn your kitchen into a chemistry lab with DIY pH indicators!
A substance with a pH of 7 (like distilled water) is neutral. A substance with a pH of less than 7 is an acid. The closer the number gets to zero, the stronger the acid is. A substance with a pH of more than 7 is a base. The closer the number is to 14, the stronger the base is.
Try making one of these two natural DIY pH indicators and use it to test the pH of things you find around your home!
Recommend Age: 8+ with adult help for chopping and boiling.
Materials you will need for a red cabbage pH indicator:
Red cabbage
Knife and cutting board
Warm water
Blender
Strainer or funnel with coffee filter
Container to collect indicator
WARNING: Cabbage and blueberry juices can stain clothes! Mess-friendly play clothes or coverings such as aprons are recommended for this activity.
Directions for making red cabbage pH indicator:
STEP 1
Peel 3 or 4 big leaves off a head of red cabbage and chop the leaves into small pieces.
Fill a blender halfway with hot water.
Add the chopped cabbage leaves to the blender.
Blend the leaves and water on high until the liquid turns purple and all the leaves are blended.
*Alternatively, you can boil the chopped leaves in just enough water to cover them for a few minutes, then let steep for 30-60 minutes.
STEP 2
Place a strainer or funnel lined with a coffee filter over a container to collect the indictor, such as bowl, pot, or bottle.
Pour the mixture through the strainer to remove the cabbage pulp.
Push down on the pulp in the strainer with a spoon or spatula to squeeze out more liquid.
STEP 3
The purple liquid in your container is your indicator solution. The exact color will vary depending on the pH of the water you used.
Experiment with the indicator using the ideas below!
Red cabbage indicator can be saved in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Materials you will need for a blueberry pH indicator:
200g blueberries
Masher, spoon, or spatula to mash blueberries
Water
Pot
Strainer or funnel with coffee filter
Container to collect indicator
Directions for making blueberry pH indicator:
STEP 1
Mash the blueberries in a bowl or pot to release the blueberry juice.
Add mashed blueberries, juice, and a half cup of water to a pot.
Boil the blueberries for 5-10 minutes. The blueberry juice will turn red-purple.
STEP 2
Place a strainer or funnel lined with a coffee filter over a container to collect the indictor.
Pour the mixture through the strainer to remove the blueberry skins.
Push down on the skins in the strainer with a spoon or spatula to squeeze out more liquid.
The purple liquid in your container is your indicator solution. The exact color will vary depending on the pH of the water you used.
What to do with your DIY pH indicators
Now that you have your pH indicators, it's time to get to testing! Use household liquids such as salt or distilled water, different fruit juices, milk, liquid detergent or soap, and more!
Add each of the substances you would like to test to the cups. (Only add one substance to each cup.)
Add a spoonful of indicator to the first cup, and stir the indicator into the substance.
Observe the color changes. What do you see? Encourage your scientist to write down what color each substance turns. You can use crayons or markers to help keep track of color changes.
Expand on the Activity:
What color changes did you see? Did you notice any patterns?
If you use vinegar or lemon juice, what do you think will happen to the color of the DIY pH indicator if you add baking soda or an antacid tablet
For another hands-on chemistry experiment, try making your own STEM slime activity!
The Science: pH and pH indicators
pH is a measurement of how acidic or basic something is. It is measured on a scale of 0-14.
A substance with a pH of 7 (like distilled water) is neutral. A substance with a pH of less than 7 is an acid. The closer the number gets to zero, the stronger the acid is. A substance with a pH of more than 7 is a base. The closer the number is to 14, the stronger the base is.
Strong acids and bases can be very dangerous, while weaker acids and bases (those with a pH close to 7) are safer to use.
We find acids in many of the foods we eat, as well as in our stomachs. Acids found in foods give them a sour taste.
Bases are commonly found in cleaning products and antacid medications. Bases feel slippery and are rare in food because they taste bitter. For reference, think about the taste of soap!
pH indicators are compounds that change color in the presence of an acid or a base.
Different pH indicators have different ranges. Some may only be able to show whether something is acidic or basic, while others may have a wide range of colors that can show different strengths of acids and bases. Some may be better for showing the pH of acids, while others may be better at showing the pH of bases. In a lab, the best indicator to use depends on the pH range you want to see.
Learn More: Chemistry
There are several different definitions of acids and bases in chemistry.
A simple chemical definition of an acid is a substance that releases hydrogen ions (H+) when dissolved in water. A simple chemical definition of a base is a substance that makes hydroxide ions (OH-) when dissolved in water or a substance that takes hydrogen ions from an acid.
Ions are positively (+) or negatively (-) charged particles of an element.
Many red, purple, and blue plants contain chemicals called anthocyanins, which are weak acids that dissolve in water and change color in response to changes in pH. Because of this, plants with anthocyanins like red cabbage and blueberries can easily be made into pH indicators.
Did you make and test your own indicator? We’d love to see how it turned out! Snap a photo of you making or experimenting with your indicator and submit it to our Science Showcase here or use #OSCatHome on social media!
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Find out when we release new resources by following us on social media!
Follow us on social media for even more science fun including fun facts, games, behind-the-scenes photos, and more!
Support OSC At Home
In these ever-changing times, it is our pleasure to adapt quality Orlando Science Center experiences to engage with everyone while they are safe at home. Please consider supporting our operating fund to ensure we can continue developing resources today and well into the future. Thank you for your generosity and support!
Brush up on your art skills with this salt & watercolor painting project
Think (or paint) outside the box wiht this unique painting technique! One-part experiment, one-part art experience, this salt & watercolor painting project will give you a wall-worthy finished project, while you learn some STEM skills along the way.
Materials you will need:
Paper (Watercolor paper works best, but cardstock or sketchbook paper can also work)
Paintbrush
Watercolor paints
Salt
Water to rinse your painbrush
Directions:
Step 1
Set up your workspace and start painting! Keep in mind, your painting will change when you add the salt, so don’t worry too much about the details!
Step 2
While your painting is still wet to the touch, sprinkle it with salt. Watch closely as the salt absorbs the water on your paper, and some of the color along with it!
Step 3
When you’re finished, let your salt and watercolor painting project is completely dry, and gently rub the salt off the paper.
Expand on the Activity:
Try different kinds of salt! Table salt, sea salt, and rock salt are all great to try. How does the size of the salt grain impact what you see happen on your painting?
The amount of water on your paper will have a big impact on how it looks when you add the salt. Experiment with adding the salt at different points as your painting dries to see which effect is your favorite.
Be sure to share your salt watercolor painting project with us by submitting a photo or video to our Science Showcase here or tag Orlando Science Center and use #OSCatHome on social media! You might be featured on our channels.
OSC At Home Emails
Get a round up of our latest activities and ideas delivered straight to your inbox so you don't miss a thing!
Find out when we release new resources by following us on social media!
Follow us on social media for even more science fun including fun facts, games, behind-the-scenes photos, and more!
Support OSC At Home
In these ever-changing times, it is our pleasure to adapt quality Orlando Science Center experiences to engage with everyone while they are safe at home. Please consider supporting our operating fund to ensure we can continue developing resources today and well into the future. Thank you for your generosity and support!
Prototyping fails are a part of science. Check out some of ours!
Sometimes you don't get it right on the first try, or the second, or the thirtieth. But that's OK! In science, prototyping fails are a big part of the process. We try to always showcase our best work, but here are some messiest mistakes with you in honor of Mess Month! Enjoy!
Rainbow So-dud
We tried to do a Diet Coke and Mentos style fountain with different colored sodas to make a rainbow! We even invited some guests to watch us prototype, but as you can see it did not make for a quality show.
Indoor Foam-splosion
Leading up to Mess Fest last year, we invited some news anchors to come experience the mess with us outdoors. The weather didn’t cooperate with our plans, so we moved inside. We had forgotten how messy a foam explosion really is!
Diet Coke Disaster
During Mess Fest, we do several Diet Coke and Mentos fountains. In 2019, we bought 30 Diet Coke bottles for the occasion. Only 29 made it inside – one exploded at our loading dock.
You Don't Want to Eat This Spaghetti
If you’ve done our 3D Design workshop in The Hive, you know how that even the smallest flaw in a 3D print can make things go awry. Whether it was the leveling of the print bed, the design sticking to the extruder, or something else, this vase did not turn out as expected.
Basket Weaving Misadventure
We’ve been pretty lucky with our open make activities in The Hive. Usually, we prototype for a day or two, make adjustments, and end up with a successful activity. Basket weaving did not go this way! We ended up using most of our supplies in one day and ending up with a tangled mess of paper rods.
A Colossal Cleanup
KidsTown gets messy on purpose pretty often – sensory play is an engaging way to learn fine motor skills, cause and effect, and more. But the cleanup can be a different story! Our staff and interns had to scrub for a long time to get all the paint off their hands!
What science mishaps have you had?
Be sure to submit your photos and videos of your experiments to our Science Showcase here or tag Orlando Science Center on social media and use hashtag #OSCatHome for a chance to be featured on our channels!
As Miss Frizzle says, take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!
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Get a round up of our latest activities and ideas delivered straight to your inbox so you don't miss a thing!
Find out when we release new resources by following us on social media!
Follow us on social media for even more science fun including fun facts, games, behind-the-scenes photos, and more!
Support OSC At Home
In these ever-changing times, it is our pleasure to adapt quality Orlando Science Center experiences to engage with everyone while they are safe at home. Please consider supporting our operating fund to ensure we can continue developing resources today and well into the future. Thank you for your generosity and support!
Create a stunning masterpiece when you follow these step-by-step instruction for how to make marbleized paper – a sensory STEAM project for kids and adults alike!
It’s always fun to use materials in new ways, and this is likely one way you’ve never used shaving cream before! Use our directions for how make marbleized paper and follow along with the questions included to help you make observations as you create! Not only will you have a wall-worthy finished project, you'll also learn some neat STEM skills along the way.
Materials:
Shaving cream
Paper (start with a heavier weight paper, like cardstock or construction paper)
Food coloring* or washable paint such as liquid watercolor or tempera paint
Popsicle sticks (If you don’t have popsicle sticks, read the directions carefully and substitute in a different tool. Tooth picks are great for creating the marble effect and a ruler or spatula work well to remove the shaving cream from your paper at the end!)
*Warning: Food coloring can stain! If you're worried about mess, substitute washable paint. Either way, mess-friendly play clothes are recommended for this activity!
Directions:
STEP 1
Spray some shaving cream onto a protected work surface.
STEP 2
Spread the shaving cream out so it’s about ½ an inch thick.
How does the shaving cream feel? Is it a liquid or a solid? Do your best to describe it.
STEP 3
Add a few drops of food coloring on top of the shaving cream. Make sure you leave some space between each drop.
What do you observe as you drip the food coloring onto the shaving cream? Does it mix in? Does it sit on top? Sink to the bottom? Spread out flat? What do you see happening?
STEP 4
Use a popsicle stick to drag the food coloring around on the top of the shaving cream, creating a marbled effect.
Do the colors mix with the shaving cream? Do they stay separate? Do they mix with each other?
STEP 5
When you’re happy with the marble you’ve created, place your paper on top of the shaving cream and food coloring and gently press down. Depending on how thick your paper is, you may see the marble start to show through the other side. Let it sit for about 5-10 seconds.
STEP 6
Carefully remove your paperand place it shaving cream side up on a protected work surface.
STEP 7
Use a popsicle stick to very gently scrape the shaving cream off your paper. This will likely take a few passes and it may help to remove the shaving cream from your popsicle stick between each pass.
The food coloring has soaked into your paper, leaving behind a marbled pattern! How is the design on your paper similar to the design you saw on your shaving cream? How is it different?
STEP 8
Let your paper dry for a few minutes. Once dry, use a tissue or paper towel to brush off any leftover little bits of shaving cream.
Display your marbleized paper with pride, or add it to a larger project! Be sure to share your mess-terpieces with us by submitting them to our Science Showcase here or tag Orlando Science Center and use #OSCatHome on social media! You might be featured on our channels.
NOTE: It’s best to let the paper dry completely before cutting it or writing on it.
Expand on the Activity!
Try this again and try using more or less food coloring. How do your results change?
Test out different kinds of paper. What happens when you try this with printer paper, newspaper, tissue paper, cardboard, or colored construction paper? What kind of paper works best?
Experiment with making different shapes and patterns with the food coloring in the foam. How many different patterns can you make?
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Find out when we release new resources by following us on social media!
Follow us on social media for even more science fun including fun facts, games, behind-the-scenes photos, and more!
Support OSC At Home
In these ever-changing times, it is our pleasure to adapt quality Orlando Science Center experiences to engage with everyone while they are safe at home. Please consider supporting our operating fund to ensure we can continue developing resources today and well into the future. Thank you for your generosity and support!
What if we told you that you could freeze time with just a balloon, tape, and some water? Now what if we showed you how to demonstrate laminar flow at home?
We promise this isn’t CGI magic or a trick of the camera. What you are seeing is aparticularly interesting fluid dynamic, which is a scientific way of saying the flow of a fluid (which is any liquid or gas), called laminar flow.
Below we are going to explore the following questions: What is laminar flow? What is laminar flow used for in everyday life? And most importantly, how can you demonstrate laminar flow at home?
What is Laminar Flow?
Laminar flow is a type of flow pattern of a fluid in which all the particles are flowing in parallel lines, opposed to turbulent flow, where the particles flow in random and chaotic directions. A flow is either turbulent, laminar, or somewhere in between. This is measured by the Reynolds number which is a ratio between velocity (the speed of the flow) and viscosity(how thick or thin the fluid is). The more viscous, or thick, the fluid is the faster it can flow without going turbulent.
What is Laminar Flow Used For?
Laminar flow has a wide range of real-life applications. A type of laminar flow is achieved everyday by pilots. A smooth flight occurs when the flow of the air over an aircraft’s wings is laminar. If the pilot runs into a very turbulent patch of air the wing cannot correct the air to make it laminar, causing turbulence.
A different example of laminar flow occurs everyday inside of you.Blood flowing throughout your body is flowing laminarly.
One last example of laminar flow is syrup, or honey, flowing out the nozzle. Because the liquid is so thick, or viscous, the Reynolds number indicates that the flow is very laminar.
How Can I Demonstrate Laminar Flow at Home?
The following video and steps below it are detailed for you to try and recreate laminar flow at home.
Adult supervision is required as this experiment involves the usage of sharp and potentially dangerous objects.
Step One: Gather the following materials:
One balloon
Duct Tape or electrical tape
Water
A sharp object (to pierce the balloon)
Step Two: Fill the balloon with water and tie it off.
Step Three: Make a square on your balloon out of tape. Make sure you pat down the tape, so it’s smoothly secured. Different sized squares result in different sized flows.
Step Four: With adult assistance pierce the balloon inside the square with your sharp object and watch as the water flows out laminarly!
How did it go? Try taking your own spin on the experiment, does the amount of water change the results? How about where you place the square? Do you think you can get multiple flows to happenon the same balloon?
If you tried to demonstrate laminar flow at home, be sure you submit you photos and videos of your experiments to our Science Showcase here or tag Orlando Science Center on social media and use hashtag #OSCatHome for a chance to be featured on our channels!
Until next time,STAY CURIOUS!
OSC At Home Emails
Get a round up of our latest activities and ideas delivered straight to your inbox so you don't miss a thing!
Find out when we release new resources by following us on social media!
Follow us on social media for even more science fun including fun facts, games, behind-the-scenes photos, and more!
Support OSC At Home
In these ever-changing times, it is our pleasure to adapt quality Orlando Science Center experiences to engage with everyone while they are safe at home. Please consider supporting our operating fund to ensure we can continue developing resources today and well into the future. Thank you for your generosity and support!
